France: Consumer confidence nosedives amid ‘gilets jaunes’ protests
In December, the consumer-confidence indicator published by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) fell to 87 points—a nearly four-year low—from 91 points a month earlier. For an eighth consecutive month, the indicator remained below the 100-point threshold, which is a proxy of its long-term average.
December’s deterioration was broad-based as consumers’ anxieties mounted over their personal finances and ability to save. Concerns over unemployment grew and, in turn, consumers’ expected standard of living over the short-term remained below its long-term average.